Breaking Point
by pikachufanno9
Summary: When an opponent's Pokemon dies during a League championship match, Ash gives it all up and goes into exile. Features a surprise special guest. AAML


**I came up with this idea the other day. I wondered how Ash would take being responsible for the death of another trainer's Pokemon.**

 **I do not own Pokemon.**

Ash was in a battle with a trainer named Blake for the Vages League championship. Each trainer had 3 Pokemon left.

Ash was sending out Pikachu while Blake sent out his Lycanroc.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt attack on Blake's Lycanroc.

Lycanroc then used a Rock Slide attack on Pikachu. It hit Pikachu hard but he still was standing.

Pikachu used Thunder next. Lycanroc appeared to take a huge amount of damage. It used Crunch on Pikachu.

Pikachu used Iron Tail to finish Lycanroc off.

"Lycanroc is unable to battle!" The referee announced.

Blake said "Lycanroc retu-" but stopped when he noticed Lycanroc was not breathing.

Ash and Blake rushed to its side. Ash said, "your Lycanroc, it's, it's...dead. I'm...so sorry."

Ash yelled to the referee "stop the battle! I don't want to do this anymore!" and ran out of the stadium. That was the last time any of his friends saw him.

At the hotel, Misty and Ash's many other friends were discussing Ash's abrupt exit from the area.

"He is clearly broken by this, he had no idea his battling would result in the death of his opponent's Pokemon. But to just disappear like that, that isn't him at all. I hope he comes back soon." Misty expressed major concern that Ash was doing something really rash.

Serena said, "I disappeared for a long time after losing the Master Class Pokemon Showcase but I realized the error of my ways. I don't want Ash to go down the same road that I did once. He is hurt, I realize that. But nothing would help him more than talking to his friends."

Dawn said, "he had been looking forward to finally winning a league for such a long time, now it looks like he is throwing it all away. Look at this note."

All of Ash's friends gathered to read the note Ash left on the refrigerator.

"Friends, if you are reading this, I am long gone. I just can't do this anymore. I have been putting my Pokemon at risk for years and years, and those of others. It finally came to a head today when Blake's Lycanroc was killed in battle. Do not try to find me. I hope you all understand.

Love,

Ash K."

Clemont said, "I can't believe for one second Ash would give up his dream of being a Pokemon Master. It just means too much to him."

May said, "clearly not this much if he wrote this. A trainer can easily break when a Pokemon dies in battle. Nevertheless, we must look for him."

Within an hour, an all-points bulletin was put out for Ash. But it did no good, he was good at covering his tracks. He couldn't be found anywhere that had a lot of people around. That was Ash's intention from the start.

Five years had passed, and Ash had not been seen or heard from in that amount of time. He had built a home for him and some of his Pokemon, including Pikachu, in the remote Coronet Mountains of Sinnoh.

He had grown a rather large beard in this time, without access to shaving materials this came naturally. It was like he had become a mountaineer.

Ash's friends and his hometown held vigils to mark the fifth anniversary of his disappearance and held out a faint hope that he would come back home. His one true love, Misty especially.

"I had not had the heart to go out with any other guys for five years, because somewhere out there my Ash is still alive," Misty wrote in her diary. "He is still the one for me, and I will always carry a torch for him."

Ash's mother, Delia, fearing the worst, had a makeshift grave outside the family house. But still, she also held out hope that her son was out there, alive and well.

Meanwhile in the Coronet Mountains, an 11-year-old white-haired boy wearing a orange heavy winter coat was adventuring through the mountains when he came upon a Pikachu. "Hey look, a Pikachu, I wonder if it has an owner" the boy said.

The boy followed the Pikachu to the cabin where he saw several other Pokemon outside. The boy said, "no doubt these Pokemon have an owner, I think I'll go inside".

The boy knocked on the door. Ash was taken aback that someone had found where he lived after five years in exile. Ash reluctantly said, "come on in" and the boy came inside.

Ash said, "I've never seen you before, who are you?"

The boy introduced himself. "My name is Lincoln Loud. I just happened upon your cabin when I followed your Pikachu while navigating the mountains. I'm on vacation with my family. I've got 10 sisters, 5 older, 5 younger."

Ash said, "you're lucky to have such a large amount of siblings, I was an only child."

Lincoln said, "it's actually not that easy living with 10 sisters, trust me. So why are you living so far away from society?"

Ash said, "I can never show myself after something that happened five years ago."

Lincoln said "what happened?"

Ash said, "I was battling for the Vages League championship, and in the course of battle, my opponent's Lycanroc died. I quit the match, and disappeared off the grid. I even had to leave the one I loved, Misty Waterflower."

Lincoln said, "look if you love someone, you need to go back to her. She is worried sick. My sister Lori would be devastated if her boyfriend Bobby went into exile. There are times when I want to just go away from the world, just like my sister Lucy, but I deal with my problems head on rather than pushing them to the back of my mind. What is your name anyway?"

Ash introduced himself, "I am Ash Ketchum, I wanted to be a Pokemon Master, but not anymore."

Lincoln said, "you shouldn't let one accident cause you to give up on your dreams either. You have a lot of people that care about you. And they have been wanting to hear from you for five years. Don't take that away from them."

Ash said, "maybe you're right Lincoln. Maybe it's time I go back to society. I've hidden myself for five years. There is a woman who loves me. You've convinced me kid. I'm going home. No more running away."

Lincoln said, "that's the spirit. I hope things run smoothly when you get back Mr. Ketchum."

Ash said, "thank you Lincoln for all you've done for me."

Ash took all his Pokemon, and left the Coronet Mountains, and headed to Oreburgh City's airport. He got on a plane to Saffron City.

The media took wind of Ash's boarding the plane, and there were many media there to greet him when he got off the plane in Saffron City.

He answered some questions for the media, then set off for Pallet Town, where all his friends and family were waiting to see him for the first time in five years.

His mother was the first to greet him, "Ash, it's so good to see you! I was so worried about you!"

All of his friends had their turn with Ash, but the one that meant the most to him, was a certain redhead.

"Misty, I just want to apologize for what I put you through after the Vages League" Ash said.

Misty said, "I'm not mad, I understand what you were going through at the time. Five years is a really long time to cut yourself off from the outside world though. What convinced you to re-integrate yourself with the world?"

Ash said, "let's just say, a very special friend did. Now Misty, I never stopped thinking about you. I still had you in my heart all this time, and I still love you after all these years."

Misty said, "the feeling is mutual. Now what do you say we plan our wedding, then get married, and settle down for a while, then you can go back to your dream of being a Pokemon Master in a few years? And when you do, I'll be right beside you."

Ash said, "sounds like a plan."

 **How did you like that? And that appearance from Lincoln Loud from The Loud House? I just started watching that show the other day so I wanted to write a story including him too. Just so we're clear I don't own The Loud House either.**


End file.
